Freeze dryer batch log: what to write down and why

A home freeze dryer is a long, repeating process. A short record of each batch turns guesswork into a routine you can repeat.

The fields worth keeping

1. Name and date. "Strawberries, sliced, 6 mm, Nov 3" beats "batch 41".
2. Food and prep. Cut size, blanching, pre-freezing, anything that differs from last time.
3. Tray weights before. One weight per tray, in the same unit each time.
4. Cycle start and expected end. Note how long the machine actually ran, including any extra dry time.
5. Tray weights after. The gap between before and after is the water that came out, usually shown as a percentage.
6. Dryness check. How you judged it done, and whether you added extra dry time.
7. Result and notes. Texture, anything you would change, where it went in storage.

Why weights matter

Water loss is the number that makes batches comparable. If the same food loses about the same percentage each time, your loading and prep are consistent. If one batch loses noticeably less, that is a reason to check before you seal it. Re-weighing after extra dry time also shows whether weight is still dropping.

Paper, spreadsheet or app

All three work. A notebook next to the machine is reliable. A spreadsheet is good for comparing foods. An app helps most with the timer, because long cycles are easy to lose track of. See the notebook, spreadsheet and app comparison for when each one fits.

Keep your own record with FreezeLog

FreezeLog is an iPhone app that logs every batch offline: weights before and after, the cycle you ran, notes, and a real alarm when the batch should be done. The batch log, alarms, pantry and sync are free. Pro is a single one-time purchase, with no subscription. There is no account and no ads.

Alarms in FreezeLog are scheduled for an absolute time, so they still ring if you close the app. If you open the app after the expected end, the batch reads "Overdue, check your dryer" rather than counting backwards.